Did we get a sneak preview of Formula 1 2023 last weekend? Ferrari seems to be falling further and further back but the Zandvoort race was the second event in three GPs at which Mercedes has provided some sort of challenge to the Verstappen steamroller.
Many questioned the Mercedes decision to leave Lewis Hamilton on medium tyres while switching George Russell to softs during the final safety car period, leaving the seven-time world champion vulnerable to attack from Verstappen. But, as Alex Kalinauckas shows in our report, Verstappen was simply too quick and probably would have won whatever the strategy.
The ‘battle’ for the 2022 crown is all but over, but we do seem set for some interesting races between now and the end of the season in November if Mercedes can continue its current trajectory. Or, as Kalinauckas argues, Verstappen could end up taking the single-season F1 wins record despite the RB18 being far from the dominant force we’ve seen from other cars in the past.
There’s a more open title fight in IndyCar, which heads to Laguna Seca this weekend for its finale. David Malsher-Lopez reports on the Portland race that could be crucial as Penske allowed Scott McLaughlin to beat his championship-contending team-mate Will Power.
We’ve also got reports from a busy weekend of international competition, including Formula 2, F3 and MotoGP.
One series Mercedes did conquer again this year was Formula E. Jake Boxall-Legge explains how in our season review and picks out the top 10 drivers.
The World Touring Car Cup crown has yet to be claimed, but Damien Smith talks to the man most likely to be champion: Mikel Azcona.
The big news in the National section is the return of Van Diemen. Marcus Simmons reveals the details, while Stefan Mackley tries his hand at the challenging Ma7da series.
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